1999 Ford Mondeo Si review from UK and Ireland

Throttle cable started to fray at 70k. Changed as a precaution (UKP 18 for a genuine Ford part)

Otherwise faultless - consumables/servicing only.

One of the best bargains on the road.

Great to drive, fantastic handling, gutsy (if slightly noisy) engine, confidence inspiring brakes and solid build quality. As an all rounder you really can't do better without spending significantly more.

All day comfy thanks to great seats and more driving position adjustment than I have ever seen on any car.

More reliable and just as well screwed together as my previous 1998 Passat. Much more of a drivers car too. Excellent ABS which doesn't cut in unnecessarily - most mainstream manufacturers (including VW) can't do this.

Some shiny plastics let the interior down, but there's no faulting the design, ergonomics or construction quality. Bombproof mechanicals have needed no attention between services and if this engine didn't breeze 150,000 miles based on current feel at 77k I would be astonished. Run it on good semi synthetic 5W/30 oil and it will go on and on.

33 mpg average with low insurance costs. Depreciation if you buy at 4+ years old is negligible. A very cheap car to own.

A safe, solidly engineered, great handling and utterly dependable car available for absolute peanuts. Cheap parts, helpful and reasonably priced dealers if you put the effort into finding them, and it owes me in total, with depreciation and maintenance factored in, about four months PCP payments on a new mid spec 3-series. I guess it depends how much "image" is worth.